Chapter 24
River
An hour later, Callie’s halfway through zipping Nora into her jacket when her phone rings.
Her expression shifts as she answers. Neutral at first before tightening with concern.
Whatever is being said on the other end isn’t what she wants to hear, and her posture tenses.
Her free hand rises to her temple, pressing lightly, as if it’ll be enough to hold the stress at bay.
“No, it’s totally fine,” she murmurs. “Get some rest, okay? I hope you feel better.”
With a sigh, she ends the call. It’s the kind of sigh that sounds like the weight of the world just landed on her shoulders.
“What’s going on?” I ask, already bracing for what she’s about to say.
Her brow furrows as she meets my eyes. “My mom’s sick. The flu, apparently. And my dad’s not feeling great either. So, no babysitting today.”
I nod slowly, already thinking through our options. “Sounds like what we need is a plan B.”
“Yeah.” Her hand sweeps down Nora’s arm before squeezing her smaller fingers. “I have a neighbor who’s watched her before, but she also babysits a couple of other kids. Nora always ends up sick after spending time there.”
The way her voice dips at the end tells me everything I need to know about the situation. She’s dreading the idea and already talking herself out of it.
“How about I watch her?” I offer.
Callie blinks before refocusing her attention on me. “What?”
“She can stay with me,” I repeat. “The team has the day off. The two of us can hang here while you’re at the bakery.”
She stares at me like I’ve lost my mind. “For the whole day? That’s like, eight hours.”
I shrug. “Sure. We’ll build a pillow fort, watch a few shows, maybe make a mess. Right, ladybug?”
Nora perks up like she understood every word. “Rivvy!”
I grin and scoop her into my arms. “See? She’s in. Problem solved.”
Callie hesitates as an internal debate plays out in real time across her face. “Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
“If something comes up, or she gets fussy, or it’s more than you can handle—”
“That’s not going to happen.”
Her eyes plead with mine. “Just promise you’ll call me. Please?”
I step closer, adjusting Nora in my arms until I can meet Callie’s eyes. “I promise. If anything comes up, you’ll be the first one I call.”
She wavers for another beat, brushing a kiss against Nora’s curls. “You probably don’t realize it, but she can be a handful.”
I catch her fingers before she pulls away, giving them a quick squeeze. “Nora will be fine. And so will you. Go to work. I’ve got this.”
Callie studies me like she’s trying to decide whether she can trust me. Just when I think she’ll balk, she gives a small nod before heading toward the elevator.
The moment she disappears around the corner, I turn to Nora, who’s still snuggled against my chest. “All right, ladybug. What should we do first?”
Ten minutes later, she’s settled in her highchair, and it’s a total shitshow.
She’s eating strawberry yogurt like it’s a competitive sport.
There’s more on her cheeks, hands, and on the tray than in her mouth.
I’m pretty sure some made it into her hair, and I’m starting to rethink my breakfast choice.
Unless I plan on giving her a full-on bath, I’m not sure how I’m going to clean her up.
My phone buzzes just as I’m wiping a blob of yogurt off Nora’s forehead. I glance at the screen and see that it’s my sister before swiping to answer.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“Nothing,” she says casually. “Just checking in about the situation.”
With a frown, I rack my brain. “What situation are we talking about?”
“Come on, River. Keep up. The single mom you’ve got your eye on.”
“Ah. That situation.” I glance at Nora, who’s trying to feed me a spoonful, her hand wobbling as she holds it out. “I really wish you would have called fifteen minutes earlier. You probably would have told me that letting a two-year-old feed herself yogurt was not going to work out in my favor.”
“Rookie mistake,” Willow says with a laugh. “Although, if you don’t mind, I’d love some photographic evidence.”
“So you and Mav can laugh your asses off at my expense? Hard pass.”
“Aww, come on. We’re an old married couple. Don’t take away all our fun.”
I snap a quick selfie of me and Nora. The yogurt definitely made it into her hair and onto her nose.
Willow sighs, “Oh my God, she’s adorable.”
“Yup, that she is.”
“Speaking of which.” Willow none too subtly changes the topic of conversation. “Have you taken Callie out on a date yet? Wined and dined her a little bit? Busted out that famous Thompson charm? What’s your game plan here? I want all the details.”
I lean back in my chair, still holding the spoon Nora handed me. “Didn’t I mention she’s living here?”
There’s a moment of stunned silence before Willow practically shouts, “I’m sorry, what?”
I wince. “Yeah. It’s a temporary situation. It just kind of happened.”
“How was that not the lead of your last ten texts?”
I rub a hand over my face. “She and Nora were in a tough spot, and I offered to let her stay here until she figures things out.”
“And how’s that going?”
I glance at the toddler, who’s smearing the pink dairy product all over the tray with both hands like she’s finger painting. “Honestly? Better than I expected.”
“You sound different, Riv. Like you’re really into this woman.”
“I am,” I admit. “I like her a lot.” Even saying that feels weak. Like it’s not nearly enough.
“I love that for you. Truly. I want you to be happy.”
“I know.” I pause, swallowing hard. “She doesn’t know it yet, but I don’t want her to leave. I want this to turn into something real.”
“So… she has no idea this is more of a permanent situation?”
A crooked grin tugs at my lips. “Not yet.”
Willow laughs. “I can’t wait to see how this unfolds.”
“Yeah, well, I’m terrified that I’m going to mess it up or scare her away.”
“You won’t,” she says with certainty. “Just keep showing up for her. Every day. That’s what matters.”
A lump forms in my throat. One I have to clear away before I’m able to speak again. “She’s been hurt before. And I can see how scared she is. Every time I get close, she pulls away, as if expecting it all to fall apart.”
Willow hums. “Then be the one who doesn’t leave.”
I nod, even though she can’t see it. “That’s the plan.”
“Oh, by the way, Autumn and Haven say hi. They miss their uncle like crazy.”
“I miss them too. Bet they’ve shot up another couple inches since I last saw them.”
“Feels like I’m buying new clothes every month. It’s crazy.”
“Maybe when you’re in town for the game, you can stop by and meet Callie and Nora,” I say before hesitating. “You’ll like them.”
There’s a pause on her end, like she understands everything I’m not saying. “That’s a big step.”
“It is. One I’m ready to take.” The acknowledgment sends a heavy thrum through my veins. “Although, let’s keep that between us for now. Do me a favor and don’t mention anything to Mom. You know how she gets. She’ll have a venue and flower arrangements picked out before Callie even meets her.”
There’s a beat of silence.
“Oh, about that…”
“Willow,” I say with a groan.
“Hey! She was bugging me about when we’re having a third kid. I panicked.”
“Well, that certainly explains the five voicemails she left me before seven this morning.”
“Sorry.” She doesn’t sound remotely apologetic for throwing me under the bus. “You have fun with that, okay?”
Before my sister and I can say goodbye, the ding of the elevator cuts through the air. I glance toward the entryway, half-expecting it to be Callie. As much as I’d love to see her, the last thing I want is for her to come back because she doesn’t trust me with Nora.
Instead, I find Knox, Laiken, Steele, Oliver, and Jax.
Laiken’s holding his daughter’s hand. Her smaller fingers are swallowed up in his larger ones, and she’s wearing a pink tutu over her leggings.
The second the guys step into the kitchen and catch sight of Nora, who’s currently channeling her inner Picasso as she gleefully smears yogurt across the tray of her highchair, they all freeze.
A beat of stunned silence hangs in the air as they collectively take in the sight.
“Um, I’m no expert on kids,” Knox says, lifting a brow as he studies the mess, “but I’m pretty sure she’s supposed to eat that, not wear it.”
Steele chuckles and claps me on the shoulder. “Jumping straight into the deep end, are we? I like it. Shows initiative.”
Jax lowers his voice like he’s narrating a nature documentary. “Observe the domesticated male in his natural habitat. Notice the unshaven jaw, the weary eyes, and yogurt-splattered clothes. What’s become clear is that he has accepted his fate.”
Laiken doesn’t miss a beat. He strides forward, rips off a few sheets of paper towel, and crouches in front of Nora like he’s been through this exact scenario a dozen times.
“You’re letting her win, man. Rule number one: stay ahead of the mess. Once they gain control, it’s all over.”
Nora giggles and kicks her legs, clearly delighted by all the attention.
Elody tugs gently on Laiken’s sleeve. “Daddy, can I help?”
He smiles down at her before ruffling her hair. “Of course, baby. Once we clean Nora up, maybe you can show her your sticker book.”
Knox nudges Steele with his elbow and nods toward the scene. “Take notes, Cap. This is your future.”
Steele smirks. “Bring it on. I’m ready.”
When Oliver’s phone buzzes, he pulls it out of his pocket and glances at the screen, immediately typing out a reply, his thumbs moving at lightning speed.
Jax leans over, trying to sneak a peek. “Who’s blowing up your phone this early in the morning? Wait, wait. Lemme guess… Is it some poor girl you ghosted before she could figure out whether round one even happened?”
Oliver doesn’t bother looking up. “It’s none of your damn business.”
Knox’s eyes gleam. “Which means Jax nailed it.”
Oliver slips his phone back into his pocket, flipping him off behind Elody’s back without missing a beat. “Nah, that’s your signature move.”
“It feels like you’re hiding something,” Jax says with a grin. “I thought we were all friends here.”
Oliver quirks a brow. “Define the term ‘friends.’”
“That’s fine.” Jax rubs his hands together like he’s hatching a plan. “I’ll just put my elite detective skills to work.”
“Hate to break it to you, man,” Steele says with a laugh. “You’ve barely got skills on the ice. If I were you, I’d focus on keeping my day job.”
“Ouch. Shots fired,” Knox adds with a laugh.
Before Jax can respond, Oliver tips his chin toward me. “Hey, Thompson, didn’t you mention that the girl who works with Callie was just asking about our boy over here?”
Jax whips around so fast he nearly trips over his own feet. “Wait, Sloane was asking about me? And you didn’t tell me?” His voice hits a pitch only dogs can hear. “Seriously, man, what the fuck?”
Laiken groans before smacking the back of Jax’s head. It’s just hard enough to get his point across. “Language. We’ve got little ears in the room, genius.”
He angles his head toward Elody, who’s now watching Jax with wide eyes and the kind of intense focus that means every word is being stored for later use.
“Laiken’s right,” Steele adds with a chuckle. “You wanna be the reason she starts swearing at school?”
“I said A-S-S once,” Laiken mutters, “and I had to hear about it every day for a week.”
“You spelled ‘ass,’ Daddy!” Elody pipes up. “You said it was a bad word!”
Laiken drops his head into his hand. “I was telling them about the word, not saying it. There’s a difference.”
“But I like saying it,” she announces proudly. “It’s funny.”
Knox chokes on a laugh as his shoulders shake. “She’s not wrong about that. It is pretty funny.”
Laiken shoots him a glare. “Yeah, well, you’re not the one getting the side-eye from her grandparents when she starts showing off her new vocabulary.”
The room quiets after that, amusement fading as something heavier slips in.
“Any word on the custody situation?” Knox asks in a hushed tone so the girls won’t hear.
Laiken watches Elody and Nora as they run toward the living room, Elody leading the way.
His gaze softens, but the tension in his jaw doesn’t ease.
“They hired a new lawyer. Looks like they’re not backing down anytime soon.
They must think if they keep pushing long enough, I’ll cave. And that’s never going to happen.”
“What about Sarah?” Oliver asks quietly.
Laiken runs a hand through his hair as a muscle in his jaw tics. “No one’s heard from her in months. But her parents? They’ve suddenly decided they want a second chance with Elody. Like maybe they can rewrite history and do it ‘right’ this time.”
My stomach turns. “That’s total bullshit. You’re a damn good dad, Laiken.”
My teammate jerks his shoulders, but the weight behind his eyes doesn’t budge. “I’d like to think so.”
“Seems like they’re trying to take something that doesn’t belong to them,” Knox mutters.
Before the mood can sink any lower, Elody bounds back into the kitchen, face flushed as she beams. “Daddy! Nora likes my stickers!”
Laiken’s expression relaxes in an instant. “That’s great, sweetheart. Keep showing her, okay?”
The little girl nods before spinning on her heel and skipping back to the living room.
We all watch her go, and I realize there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for this group of guys. What I’ve learned is that blood isn’t the only thing that makes you family.
It’s showing up.
And all of us?
We’re just trying to figure it out as we go.
One messy, yogurt-covered day at a time.